In the research and development of medicine and chemicals, storage tubes are used extensively in storing a large number of samples. For example, scientists prepare a large number of samples for a comparative experiment with slightly changing conditions such as blending amount, and they use storage tubes for storing the samples for a required period of time while handling them.
In order to control and store a large number of storage tubes at a time as described above, there are two types of the sample storage systems known in the prior art.
The first type is a well-plate block type of the sample storage container. The well-plate block type of the sample storage container is a block type container, which is called a well-plate having a lot of wells in the solid plastic block. The well-plate block type of the sample storage container is called an assay block too. The well-plate block type of the sample storage container is made by providing a lot of wells in the plastic block, the well having an inner wall shape corresponding to that of the test tube. The predetermined numbers of wells, for example 96 or 364 wells, are arrayed in the plastic block. When using such well-plate type of the sample storage container block, a lot of test samples can be arranged efficiently and stored by utilizing each well as a sample storage tube.
When using such well-plate type of the sample storage container block, the basic method for enclosing the top opening of the well is the method for enclosing the opening of all wells at the same time by sealing the lid sheet such as a sheet of aluminum plate and a sheet of plastic film onto the whole surface of the well-plate type of the sample storage block.
FIG. 15 is a schematic view showing the case covering the whole surface of the conventional well-plate type of the sample storage block by the lid sheet. FIG. 15 (a) shows the status when covering the whole surface of the conventional well-plate type of the sample storage block 10 by sealing the lid sheet 20, and FIG. 15 (b) shows the status when opening the whole surface of the conventional well-plate type of the sample storage block 10 by turning over the lid sheet 20 up from the edge. In these figures, a part of the structure of the inner well 11 is shown by the broken line for convenience. There are 96 pieces of wells 11 used as sample storages in the conventional well-plate type of the sample storage block 10. When covering the whole surface of the conventional well-plate type of the sample storage block 10, it is covered by one lid sheet 20, when opening up the whole surface of the opening of the wells, one lid sheet 20 is turned over by destroying the lid sheet 20.
Next, the second type is a micro tube array type arraying a lot of sample storage containers of the micro tube type in the storage rack. The micro tube array stores and contains each test sample in each small sample container called the micro tube piece by piece independently and arrayed in the storage rack. The micro tube is a container of about several centimeter height and made of plastic material. Each micro tube is an independent piece, and it is possible to use them as sample storage containers one by one. It is also possible to use as the micro tube array storing a lot of test samples at the same time by arraying a lot of micro tubes in the storage rack.
When using the micro tube array, each micro tube is an independent sample storage container, so each micro tube should be identified independently. In recent years sample storages that are controlled by printing a barcode or two-dimensional code on the side and/or bottom surface of the storage tube are highlighted, in which various data and/or control information of a sample are encoded.
The method for enclosing the top opening of the micro tube array is the method for enclosing the opening of each micro tube by the lid one by one by hand or by an expensive special lid closure machine. It is difficult for sealing the opening of the independent micro tube with one large sheet of the aluminum plate or one large sheet of plastic film, such as the lid sheet used for the well-plate type of the sample storage block, covering the whole surface of the micro tube array.
Most of the lids for the micro tube are the plastic stopper type lid pushed into the opening of the micro tube and which shape corresponds to that of the opening of the micro tube. Another type of the lid for the micro tube is the screw thread lid having an external thread on the external-surface of the lid. In this case, an internal thread is in the internal-surface of the top opening of the micro tube, and the screw thread lid is screwed into the top opening of the micro tube.
FIG. 16 is a schematic view showing the case enclosing the opening of each micro tube of the conventional micro tube array by each lid. FIG. 16 (a) shows the status when enclosing the opening of each micro tube 30 of the conventional micro tube array by each lid 32 arrayed in the storage rack 40, FIG. 16 (b) shows the status when taking one piece of micro tube 30 from the storage rack 40 and opening the top opening of the micro tube 31 by turning the lid 32 off. In these figures, a part of the structure of the micro tube 30 is shown by the broken line for convenience.
A plurality of the container spaces 41 are installed in the storage rack 40, and each micro tube 30 is arrayed in the container space 41. The opening of the micro tube 30 is covered by the lid 32. In this example, the screw thread is installed in both micro tube 30 and the lid, and the lid is screwed in the micro tube opening.